Visiting Foreign Scholars Program

UC Hastings welcomes applications from foreign lawyers, judges, law professors and doctoral students in law who are interested in conducting legal research at our law school. The Hastings faculty is committed to collaborative exchange on research covering a wide range of legal topics.

The Visiting Foreign Scholar Program is an opportunity for foreign legal scholars, practitioners and members of the judiciary to spend up to one full academic year at the law school working on a legal research project. In the past, visiting scholars have worked on research ranging from comparative studies of corporate taxation and criminal procedure, to international trade law and international human rights law. In addition to providing access to Hastings' extensive library collection, visiting scholars will have the opportunity to meet with faculty members working in their field.

The Hastings program is a designated U.S. Department of State Exchange Visitor Program created pursuant to the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (Pub. L. 87-256, 75 Stat. 527), more commonly known as the Fulbright-Hayes Act. The purpose of the Act is to foster mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of education and cultural exchanges. As participants in the program, visiting scholars are encouraged to contribute their talents to help Hastings achieve increased internationalization. Typical contributions range from giving presentations on their research topic and helping facilitate colloquia that explore global legal issues to mentoring students, assisting in LL.M. and foreign exchange student recruitment and/or assisting with international organizations, events and/or programs on campus.

Application Periods :

(We do not accept applications out of cycle.)

April 1 - May 1

(for a visit to begin the following fall semester)

September 1 - October 1

(for a visit to begin the following spring semester)

Example: To apply for a visit to begin Fall 2015 Semester, you must submit your application to Global Programs between April 1 and May 1, 2015.

proof of English proficiency if English is not your native language or if you have not graduated from an institution of higher learning where English is the language of instruction. (Language proficiency is required to secure a visa.) We strongly prefer that applicants submit a TOEFL score report reflecting a minimum TOEFL score of 600 (PBT) or 100 (iBT) or an IELTS score report reflecting a minimum score of 7.0. If applicants are unable to take the TOEFL or IELTS examination, we may accept an equivalent demonstration of proficiency in English.

Scholar Fees:

We are currently reviewing our program administration and policies for the 2015-16 academic year Visiting Foreign Scholars program. We will be revising fee structures and will make an announcement prior to the next application cycle. Thank you very much for your patience.

University of California Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco is redefining legal education through our experiential, interdisciplinary, and international approach to the law. We integrate rigorous academics with hands-on practice, preparing our graduates to tackle the legal challenges—and leverage the opportunities—of the 21st century.